In one of my recent posts, I have discussed the reversal of values within certain cultures especially in Iran. I have received many feedbacks on the subject, which regardless of their positions, shows the importance of the subject.

Among the critical writings on my post, some have accused me to be too generalist, as if I am trying to reduce all cultural, social, and economic problems of Iran to one single element. Please do not misunderstand me. In providing multiple examples, I aimed to show how the distorted norms manifest themselves in many aspects of life.

Also, I did not intent to restrict this habit of inverting values to the Iranian society nor to generalize it to all periods of our history. Some have interpreted me as if I am suggesting that the slave morality is an A priori condition wired in the Iranian mindset. This reversal of values, in my opinion, is a defense mechanism that conforms the human psyche to the bitterness of reality in order to projects the responsibility on others and to associate knowledge with culpability. A psychological reaction to outer forces that can be traced everywhere. I would like to discuss a similar pattern that I have lately encountered here in US, which was actually the central theme of this post. But before that, allow me to quote some relevant ideas from Shayegan’s “Cultural Schizophrenia:”

The superimposition of Manichaean vision of good and evil, according to Shayegan, is “a way of moralizing which inverts values, so that someone who knows is called a ‘native colon’ … while someone who does not, becomes the embodiment of good. The technocrat is satanized while the ignorant person is sanctified… Here everything is upside down: life becomes death, beauty is ugly, stupidity is a virtue.”

There is nothing innate about this inverted morality. It constantly shows itself in all human societies. In Texas A&M, parallel to the recent legislation allowing licensed concealed firearms on college campuses, a student organization was formed to support this bill. The members of this conservative organization wore a pink t-shirt with this slogan: “guns save lives!”

This sentence reminded me of a memorable quote from George Orwell’s brilliant masterpiece, nineteen eighty four, where O'Brien explains the slogans of the brotherhood: “war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.” No surprise if guns, in this moral system, save lives.